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Fifth disease and pregnancy?

Hello ladies, I'm just looking to see if anyone has had any experience with this. My just-turned-3 DS is showing all the symptoms of fifth disease (a.k.a slapped-cheek disease or parvovirus B19) - he's had cold-like symptoms for a couple of weeks, which have now pretty much gone, but as of yesterday he's had a red, bumpy rash all over his face, especially the cheeks. Otherwise he is fine. I'm not concerned as such for him as it's a pretty common childhood illness... but I think I might have it too... problem being I'm 15 weeks pregnant. Stupidly I've been Googling the disease in pregnancy, and discovered it can dangerous for the unborn baby, especially before 20 weeks. I read of an associated miscarriage risk of "only" 5% when infected - now, I'm sure it's not just me, but I think a 1 in 20 risk at this stage of pregnancy is pretty damn high!

I've tried contacting my EPU for advice but they're not open again till Monday morning, and obviously I can't speak to my GP until Monday either. So now I'm going out of my head with worry, after finally starting to relax a little in what is an extremely anxious pregnancy (have had unexplained losses previously at 5-6 weeks, 13 weeks and 36 weeks ).

I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that if it does turn out to be fifth disease we have, that all the stuff I've been reading today is hugely exaggerated - please let that be the case!!

Moogle I am in same situation as u. 13 weeks pregnant and been around my nephew who now has it. I have tried to get a doctors appointment but am having nightmare as just moved house so not registered and local doctors won't let me register till the 14th. Walk in centre said they won't deal with it. So sending Dh back to the docs on mon to push for some kind of emergency appointment. I googled it too and it did freak me out a lot, so stay away.

What we need is a blood test to see if we r immune to it. If we r not then there is a chance we may have passed it to our babies and so will be v closely monitored. Got all that from google by the way.

Am sure we will both be fine and I am trying not to over worry at this sage as there is absolutely nothing we can do. Ur son will no LO her be infectious if his cheeks have come up red.

Hope u manage to get some answers soon...finger crossed for us both. It's all such a never ending worry xxx

Moogle, have you got your midwife's number? Mine sends & replies to txt messages, yours might?!
Or nhs direct or even your Hosp maternity switchboard number?
Just a chat with someone in the know would at least give you proper advice rather than the dreaded google..... ( we used to have a medical book, and my siblings and I ranged from self diagnosing glaucoma to dvt for a bruise ?!)
Honey, give someone a call.....they will advise what's best to do.
I hope that fantastic Fin gets well soon and someone helps you out too asap xxx
Cherlou, you too..., call NHS direct, I have always found them fantastic personally xx

i don't want to scare or frighten you but my mum is a nursery teacher, when some of the kids had it there were 2 pregnant teachers who were advised to go off sick, i'm sure it's just a precaution but if you can i would speak to your midwife or phone nhs 24.

Cherlou, brilliant to see you here in 2nd tri too , but really sorry to hear you're having the same worry as me. I'd heard of the disease before, and even thought F might have had it a few months ago, but I didn't realise until today it was such a risk in pregnancy. I hope you get to speak to someone really soon. As you said, I guess there's nothing we can do now as the infectious stage is when it just seems like a cold. What I'm wondering though is - if it's such a common infection in toddlers, and carries such a significant m/c risk, then why aren't we screened for immunity as part of the routine antenatal bloods? I imagine most pregnant women, especially those who have or spend time around young children, must be exposed to it at some point. Weird that it's never mentioned, eh?

BBE, I haven't even seen my community midwife yet! First appt with her is a week on Monday, but in our NHS trust they don't tend to make themselves available out-of-hours, we're just supposed to contact the maternity unit in emergencies. And if there's nothing they can really do bar a blood test, and monitoring (which I'll be having anyway) I don't expect they'll treat it as an emergency. I'll hang in there till Monday morning, but I'm calling the EPU first thing. I haven't been feeling so much movement these last few days either, so I could probably do with being checked out anyway.

On a more positive note, F's cheeks have calmed down quite a lot already - which seems quite quick for fifth disease... maybe it's not that after all?

Moogle I will keep everything crossed that it isn't fifth's disease that he has. If you are at all worried, then go to your local A and E and they should be able to take a test to see if you are immune or not and check your LO over to see what they think.

I don't want to frighten you, but it can be very dangerous for the baby. I am a teacher, so have seen lots of pregnant colleagues have to take time off when it is going around the school and also have a friend who had a loss at 20 weeks because of it. I too, am surprised that people who are in jobs where they would be more at risk or if people already have children are not tested to see if they are immune or not. Do get yourself checked out on Monday, even if you think all is ok, just for reassurance more than anything. xxx

Thanks AG. Unfortunately after F's bath tonight it looks like the rash is spreading down his trunk, which is another bad sign

I've just spoken to a midwife at the maternity unit and I'm to get my GP to take a blood sample first thing Monday morning to be sent off and tested. The result should be back within 24 hours. Unfortunately if it shows I'm not immune they won't see me for a scan until I'm 21 days post-exposure. Though if that is the case I'll call my consultant and see if he can sort something, or maybe get a private scan. I've spent the last two hours in tears, I can't believe I could lose my precious rainbow baby because of a stupid little nursery bug.

moogle i see you are in Renfrewshire i'm in Inverclyde and the midwifes were great i phoned a couple of times for advice and they were lovely, i had reduced movement and a few other aches and pains and they didn't hesitate to do a scan.

Nhs direct were useless when I rang and a and e/ outpatients said they wouldn't help. It's a nightmare.

Moogle there is a high chnace that we r immune. I know it's hard but all we can do is get checked out as soon as we can. Am hoping for me the local docs will see me and then if they still refuse I might go back to a and e and cry and cry until they see me.

It is v v rare that u can lose a baby...it obv can happen but I am not letting my mind go there, I just can't. I'm telling myself all will be fine until I'm told otherwise.have come too far for things to go wrong now.

I am a teacher and have seen slapped cheek go round a fair few times so am also hoping that this will help build up immune issues.

back to you Cher hun, and everything crossed that we're both immune. I'm sure with your job there's a great chance you will be Are you going to try the docs on Monday then? It was the triage at my maternity unit I spoke to and they took it pretty seriously, but of course they don't want me to go in, in case I infect anyone else!

We just don't need this extra stress do we?! xxxx

Are you down Greenock way then Sasha? I'm always there shopping, or taking F to the beach at Cardwell! Paisley Mat have been really good so far with my care, lots of scans etc, but the 21 days is to be sure I'm not contagious anymore when I go in. It seems a long time though if there's a risk to the baby, so I'm hoping with my history my lovely cons will maybe turn a blind eye and do a scan sooner... and of course, I might be immune anyway! PMA, PMA...

Moogle, there is also a very high chance that it isn't slap cheek that your LO has at all. It could be a whole manner of things. You should take him to the Dr as well, just to see what they say. I will keep everything crossed for you that a) it isn't slap cheek in the first place and b) if it is, that you are immune. I am so sorry that you are going through all this stress, just awful and the last thing that you need. Thinking of you loads and hope that your have some reassurance in the next few days. xxx

Moggle my Dh is gonna go back to docs and really push for them to see me. I don't see how they can keep saying no because of paperwork when it's a n emergency. If not then tomo night I will have to go to a an e an just push for someone to take me seriously.

Feeling full of cold and headachey today...has me proper chewed. Been googling again which I shouldn't as it just frightens me more

Moogle, Honey, sorry love, only just popped back in?!
I can't get over that you haven't seen your community MW yet ?! I can't get over how different things are with NHS there?? I hope that lovely Dr see's you and steal your blood asap and that F's not got it after all.
I took Tali to the drs when she was ickle due to face rash that spread and it turned out to be eczema all over her face and back. It was like sandpaper, Poor lass. Her little face bled in the wind and we had to use a steriod cream in the end as the other ointments didn't help
Thinking of you lots & lots & lots & lots
Get well soon chocs for Fin (and mummy has to test them to make sure they're ok obviously)

Well, the blood has been taken and hopefully sent off. The nurse was pretty clueless as to when to expect the result, but she told me to call in tomorrow afternoon and they'll chase it up, as the hospital had told me within 24 hours. I have to say she didn't reassure me in the slightest - she said there had been incidences of slapped cheek in the area before Christmastime, and commented on F's "bright pink cheeks"... which I thought looked pretty much back to normal today! Silly wee moo. But I guess it's just a waiting game now. Still hoping that my wee guy doesn't have it, there's been no sign of the "lacy" rash that's also typical of the disease, but I know I'm clutching at straws a bit. It could be eczema Blue hun, as both F and I are suffer from it anyway, but my feeling is it's more likely to be something viral Hopefully get-well chocs will help, lots of Vit C in those orange creams I bet

Worried my little babba has stopped moving now too, have barely felt a flutter the last few days

How are you getting on Cherlou? Did you get anywhere with the docs yet? I've had cold symptoms and headaches as well - it's such a worry, but I suppose we need to try and remember that these are common 2nd tri pregnancy symptoms too. I certainly felt like this at the same stage with my others. Hope you're doing ok sweetie xxx

Glad u got sorted. Doctors have agreed to register me Wednesday and will push for blood test Thursday. So still a wait but better than nothing! I have had a killer headache today but the symptoms for it in adults is more stiff joints so am hoping headache is not related.

Sorry you are having all this worry girls. I could sense your panic Cher so just thought I would jump in and say you are unlikely to feel movement at this stage if you haven't experienced it before. My first baby I felt at 18 or 19 weeks but about 12 second time round. Xx

Hey Cher, that's great you're getting tested this week. Another couple of days aren't going to make any difference, and I'm sure you'll be just fine anyway. I read that too about stiff joints, and all I've had so far is some hip pain, which is prob pregnancy related.

Re: baby's movements - 14 weeks would be waay early to feel your first, I've heard of twin mums too who felt their babies even later than singletons! So no worries for ya there... I have had two term or near-term babies already, and 6 pregnancies, so that's why I felt movements much earlier - since 12ish weeks. But it's still light and very sporadic. It's just been an extra upset for me that bubs chose this week to quieten down on top of everything else, but I did get some reassuring flutters this evening after dinner 16-20 weeks is normal for a first baby hun, and sometimes later...

Headaches are totally normal too! But yeah, another something we could definitely do without right now xxxxx

Hi hun, was hoping for result today but no luck - should be tomorrow I did have a call this morning from a midwife at the hospital who is dealing with it, she said they'd call me as soon as the lab result came through. Again, she hasn't done much to reassure me though - even though nothing's been confirmed they're making me feel like a walking bag o' bugs! I've been very headachey too the last couple of days, and had a bit of a dicky tummy - but I don't think that's a parvo symptom is it?

Really hope you get your test done on Thursday and that you get the all-clear asap. This is just horrendous, isn't it? xxx

Oh moogle, I just popped into your diary Hun, and seen these lab peeps still haven't got back to you.
Cherlou, I'm glad you are finally getting tested, I have quite literally got everything crossed for the both of you.
As far as I can read anywhere the headaches are normal pregnancy related, I have had loads, and have been using that 4head rub on stuff which helps a little. It's just hormones :/
Thinking of you x

Cherlou hun, how did you get on yesterday? I hope you got your test done and they get back to you ASAP

Found out today that I'm not immune but I still have to wait until Tuesday to find out if I've been infected or not, due to a technical problem in the lab giving what they think is a false positive result.

Thanks Dusky. Cher, I'm glad too to hear what your GP said - my midwives haven't been very reassuring, they just want me to stay away!! Well, if 50% of folks are immune... and out of two of us on here, one of us definitely isn't - I'd say the odds are really good you will be immune I'll try and follow your lead and stay calm... for now xxxx